“This is our FRONT YARD!!!”

That’s what went through my head – and rang out of my mouth more than a few times – as the troops gathered at Boulevard Park this morning for the 6^th Annual Dan Harris Challenge. A big gathering of friends in our own front yard. What a life!!!

Of course, once that starter’s horn went off it was pure battleground! I leapt out to an early lead (thanks for the slingshot, Brian and Dave), and could see only the Canuck’s tandem with Gareth in their draft off to my right about 100 feet.

Within 10 or 15 minutes, I eased over and fell in with those guys, enjoying a cushy ride through the small bumps all the way out to the island. (That raises a question: if I draft a boat in my class, but who’s drafting a boat of another class, am I under arrest by the race police? Oh well… it was cushy, regardless.)

At the island, though, I remembered back to last year’s front-of-the-pack battle with tandem team Larry G. and Shaun S., and Jean Rillard in his Uno. Jean broke off just after the island and I followed along, exchanging leads until the home stretch when he walked away. Jean wasn’t around this year, but nothing wrong with borrowing his strategy.

The island was my trigger, and when we rounded it I split off and headed for deeper water and hopefully some rides.

Those Canuck’s held on like super glue, though, until we got into some uniform enough troughs that I knew they couldn’t match my series of linked speed-boosters. (Is anyone out there better on the bumps in a tandem than in a single? Maybe it’s just our Bellingham Bay short period wind swell that makes singles so much abler out there).

I put together a handful of nice little gliders, and finally dropped the boys just before Post Point. When I saw they weren’t matching it, I felt that boost of nitrous hit home, and with gas in the tank for the final stretch I stretched out the lead a tiny bit more by the finish.

What an absolute thrill being out on point in such an iconic race, with 4 or 5 dozen of my closest friends and biggest heroes (Hi Sweetie!) on the water with me, still more friends and my own boy Hayden Storm cheering from shore, on arguably the most beautiful day of the year, in our freeking FRONT YARD!!! I don’t care who you are… that’s GOOD livin’!

A HUGE thanks to the volunteers and organizers, and to the safety boats. See you  all at the Dan Harris Challenge 2011!!!

Brandon

All photos courtesy of Mikyn Sygitowicz